Oral Care

My New Yummy Toothpaste

The modern toothpaste comes in various flavours, colours and textures.  Toothpaste is not always white and boring as it used to be, but is now pink or blue and is available with stripes as well.  There is clear or gel toothpaste, and toothpaste which is peppermint-flavoured or has clove oil in it, or another kind which has mouthwash in it.

But the most important ingredient which you should look out for in toothpaste is fluoride.  Sodium fluoride is the most common fluoride used in toothpastes today.  Fluorides preserve the teeth and harden them so that decay is averted.  Of course most toothpastes have a strong flavor, but this is in order to hide the taste of other ingredients like the detergents and phosphate.

The abrasive that is used in toothpastes today is generally hydrated silica.  If you buy a gel toothpaste, the transparent abrasive which is used in it is hydrated silica.  If the toothpaste is striped, then the abrasive is present in the clear parts of the striped toothpaste. The sweetener which is added to the toothpaste is sodium saccharin and is very mild, but the flavours are extremely strong.

The modern toothpaste has specially targeted children with the beautiful colours and flavours which the children are fond of.  They love applying the striped or transparent toothpaste on their electric toothbrush, and enjoy the taste of several fun flavours.

There are of course anti-cavity toothpastes, extra whitening toothpastes and mild toothpastes which agree with sensitive teeth.  Some of the special toothpastes cannot be bought in the supermarket; you have to get a prescription from your doctor to buy it at the medical stores.

The choice of the toothpaste rests on the needs of the family.  But, even if new toothpaste is advertised on TV or through posters, people rarely change their brand of toothpaste, because it means a new taste in the mouth, which most people are reluctant about.